أَرى الشِعبَ فانظر دونَهُ هَل هَوَ الشِعبُ

أَرى الشِعبَ فانظر دونَهُ هَل هَوَ الشِعبُ

وَذا السرب فانظُر عِندَهُ هَل هيَ العُرُبُ

وَذا السرب فانظُر عِندَهُ هَل هيَ العُرُبُ

I see the ravine; look this side of it—is it the ravine?

I see the people, so look beneath them. Are they really the people?

And here is the herd; look beside it—are they the loving women?

And this herd, so look among them. Are they really the Arabs?

فأن أَنتَ آنَستَ الأَوانِس فاحتَرِز

فأن أَنتَ آنَستَ الأَوانِس فاحتَرِز

لَهُنَّ فَكَم صالَت عَلى اللَتم الصَعب

لَهُنَّ فَكَم صالَت عَلى اللَتم الصَعب

If you glimpse the maidens, beware

So if you see the gazelles, then beware

Of them: how often have they charged at fierce, dark-lipped lions!

For how often did they pray for the hard adversity?

وَحد عَن مَجال اللَحظِ بِاللحظ إِنَّها

وَحد عَن مَجال اللَحظِ بِاللحظ إِنَّها

إِذا عاهَدَت غَدرٌ وَإِن سالَمتَ حَربُ

إِذا عاهَدَت غَدرٌ وَإِن سالَمتَ حَربُ

Turn your gaze away from the range of their glances, for they

And abstain from the range of glances with a glance, for they are

Are treachery when they pledge, and war if you make peace.

Treacherous if they make a covenant and warring if they make peace

ظِباءٌ إِذا شمنَ الظُبى مِن جُفونِها

ظِباءٌ إِذا شمنَ الظُبى مِن جُفونِها

تَعوَّدَ قَبلَ الضَربِ فيها الفَتى الضَربُ

تَعوَّدَ قَبلَ الضَربِ فيها الفَتى الضَربُ

Gazelles—when they draw the blades from their eyelids,

Wolves when the male wolves sniff them from their eyelids

The lean, hardy youth grows used to their blows before a blade can strike.

The young men have gotten used to beating them before beating them

صَوارِم وَالألحاظُ مِنها صَوارِم

صَوارِم وَالألحاظُ مِنها صَوارِم

فَهَذي بِلا وَصل وَهاتَيك ما تَنبو

فَهَذي بِلا وَصل وَهاتَيك ما تَنبو

Sharp swords—and their glances are sharp swords;

Swords and their glances are swords

These strike without contact, and those never miss.

So these have no loyalty and those do not forewarn

وَما دامَ ذاكَ الحيُّ جارٌ لِحَيِّنا

وَما دامَ ذاكَ الحيُّ جارٌ لِحَيِّنا

فَدونَ حِجاب القَلبِ ما ضَمَّت الحُجُبُ

فَدونَ حِجاب القَلبِ ما ضَمَّت الحُجُبُ

As long as that clan remains a neighbor to ours,

And as long as that living one is a neighbor to our living

What their veils enclose lies within the veil of my heart.

Then beneath the veil of the heart is what the veils have concealed

أَأَحبابنا في وَصلِكُم وَبِعادكم

أَأَحبابنا في وَصلِكُم وَبِعادكم

رَجاء وَخَوف هام بَينَهُما القَلبُ

رَجاء وَخَوف هام بَينَهُما القَلبُ

O our beloveds, in union with you and separation from you,

Our loved ones, whether in union with you or separation

Are hope and fear, between which the heart wanders.

Hope and fear wandered between which afflicted the heart

وَإِنّي لألتَذُّ التَجَنّيَ في الهَوى

وَإِنّي لألتَذُّ التَجَنّيَ في الهَوى

واعتَدُّ للأسعاف ما ساعف القَربُ

واعتَدُّ للأسعاف ما ساعف القَربُ

And I indeed delight in unjust blame in love,

And I do enjoy evasion in love

And count as a favor whatever nearness grants.

And I see as branches what vicinity has branched

عَلى أَنَّهُ لا يَدخُل البَينُ بَينَنا

عَلى أَنَّهُ لا يَدخُل البَينُ بَينَنا

فَتَعذيبكم إِلّا بِهِ في الهَوى عَذبُ

فَتَعذيبكم إِلّا بِهِ في الهَوى عَذبُ

Provided that separation does not come between us;

That separation does not come between us

For, except for separation, your torment in love is sweet.

Except that your tormenting me with it in love is tormenting

وَقَد كُنتُ أَعطَيتُ الهَوى فَصل مَقودي

وَقَد كُنتُ أَعطَيتُ الهَوى فَصل مَقودي

وَأَسخَطَت عَذّالي فَهَل رَضي الحِبُّ

وَأَسخَطَت عَذّالي فَهَل رَضي الحِبُّ

And I had given love control of my rein,

And I had given love my bridled passion

And angered my reproachers; has the beloved been pleased?

And my blamers were angry, so did love approve?

إِلّا أَيهذا الراكِبُ المزمِعُ الَّذي

إِلّا أَيهذا الراكِبُ المزمِعُ الَّذي

دَعاهُ المُحَيّا الطَلقُ وَالموضِعُ الرَحبُ

دَعاهُ المُحَيّا الطَلقُ وَالموضِعُ الرَحبُ

Hark, O rider resolved to depart, whom

Except O you mounted traveler with purpose

A cheerful face and a spacious dwelling have summoned.

Whom the greeter and open space have called

أَراكَ رَجوتُ العرف مِن حيث تَرتَجي

أَراكَ رَجوتُ العرف مِن حيث تَرتَجي

لَهُ فَهَداكَ العَرف حَيثُ اهتَدى الرَكبُ

لَهُ فَهَداكَ العَرف حَيثُ اهتَدى الرَكبُ

I see that you sought kindness where you hope

I see you desired convention from where you desire it

To find it; kindness guided you where the caravan found its way.

So convention has guided you to where the riders are guided

عَلى لاحب لَم يَعرِفوا نَصَبَ السُرى

عَلى لاحب لَم يَعرِفوا نَصَبَ السُرى

بِحَيث ابن مَحمود حَميد لَهُم نُصُبُ

بِحَيث ابن مَحمود حَميد لَهُم نُصُبُ

Along a well-trodden road, they knew no weariness from night travel,

To a beloved they did not know the difficulty of the journey

Where Hamid son of Mahmud is their landmark.

To where the son of Mahmoud, their praiseworthy friend, has erected monuments

بِحيث الجَواد الجعد يَستَرفِد النَدى

بِحيث الجَواد الجعد يَستَرفِد النَدى

بِما لَم يَرد معن عَلَيهِ وَلا كَعبُ

بِما لَم يَرد معن عَلَيهِ وَلا كَعبُ

Where the generous, well-born man draws gifts from bounty,

To where the curly-haired generous one sips the dew

Such as neither Ma'n nor Ka'b ever attained.

With what neither Ma'n nor Ka'b have attained

بِحَيث الأَمير السالميُّ الَّذي غَدَت

بِحَيث الأَمير السالميُّ الَّذي غَدَت

تَذُلُّ لَهُ صَعَب الجَماجِمِ وَالقُضُبُ

تَذُلُّ لَهُ صَعَب الجَماجِمِ وَالقُضُبُ

Where is the emir al-Salimi, before whom now

To where the peaceful commander, who the tough skulls

Stubborn heads and cutting swords bow in submission.

And clubs have submitted to him,

بِحيث النَدى لَو جادَت السُحب جودَهُ

بِحيث النَدى لَو جادَت السُحب جودَهُ

عَلى الأَرضِ لَم يذكر بِساحتِها جدبُ

عَلى الأَرضِ لَم يذكر بِساحتِها جدبُ

Where is bounty: if the clouds gave as generously as he does

To where the dew, if the clouds poured his generosity on the land

Upon the earth, no drought would be spoken of in its lands.

Drought would not be mentioned in its plains

وَيَحتَقِر الهول الَّذي لَو تَمَثَّلَت

وَيَحتَقِر الهول الَّذي لَو تَمَثَّلَت

لَهُ الأَرض حَرباً ما ثَنَت شأوه الحَربُ

لَهُ الأَرض حَرباً ما ثَنَت شأوه الحَربُ

He scorns terror; even if the earth took shape

And he scorns the awe which if embodied as war on the land

As war before him, war would not check his advance.

Its enormity would not bend the war

فَتىً حَلَّ مِن قَحطان مَجداً تَلألأت

فَتىً حَلَّ مِن قَحطان مَجداً تَلألأت

كواكِبُهُ فاشتاقها الشَرقُ وَالغَربُ

كواكِبُهُ فاشتاقها الشَرقُ وَالغَربُ

A youth who dwelt in Qahtan's glory, whose glittering

A young man descended from Qahtan in glory, whose stars

Stars drew the longing of East and West.

The east and west have yearned for

وَما طيىء الأَجيال إِلّا صَواعِقٌ

وَما طيىء الأَجيال إِلّا صَواعِقٌ

لِذا الفلك الدَوار وَهوَ لَها قُطبُ

لِذا الفلك الدَوار وَهوَ لَها قُطبُ

The generations of Tayy are but thunderbolts

And the generations are nothing but lightning

Of this revolving sphere, and he is their pole.

For this revolving dome, of which he is the axis

وَآل أَبي الذَوّادِ حسبك أَنَّهُم

وَآل أَبي الذَوّادِ حسبك أَنَّهُم

إِذا استَنفَروا حَرب أَو انتَجَعوا سُحُبُ

إِذا استَنفَروا حَرب أَو انتَجَعوا سُحُبُ

And of the house of Abu al-Dhawwad, it suffices that they,

And the family of Abi Duwad, it suffices you that they

When called to arms, are war; when sought for bounty, clouds.

When called to war or when the clouds gather

أَو استرفَدوا أَعطوا أَو استَغفِرواعفوا

أَو استرفَدوا أَعطوا أَو استَغفِرواعفوا

أَو استُنهُضوا قاموا أَو استَصرَخوا هَبّوا

أَو استُنهُضوا قاموا أَو استَصرَخوا هَبّوا

Or, when asked for aid, they give; when asked for pardon, they forgive;

Or when they request they give, or when pardoned they pardon

Or, when roused, they rise; when called for help, they spring up.

Or when roused they rise, or when called they come hastily

أَكفهم سبط وأَعراضِهِم حمىً

أَكفهم سبط وأَعراضِهِم حمىً

وَأَحلامهم طود وَأَموالهم نَهبُ

وَأَحلامهم طود وَأَموالهم نَهبُ

Their palms are open; their honor is a protected sanctuary.

Their palms are generous and their honor zealous

Their forbearance is a mountain; their wealth is free for the taking.

And their dreams are lofty and their wealth plunder

وَأوجههم سعد وَلَكن سيوفهم

وَأوجههم سعد وَلَكن سيوفهم

إِذا امتَشَقَت أَودَت بِسَطوَتِها الغُلُبُ

إِذا امتَشَقَت أَودَت بِسَطوَتِها الغُلُبُ

Their faces are good fortune, but their swords,

And their faces joyous, but their swords

When drawn, destroy the mighty with their force.

When unsheathed destroy with their dominance the defeats

شُموسٌ كأَنَّ الأَرضَ حَيثُ تَدَبَّرَت

شُموسٌ كأَنَّ الأَرضَ حَيثُ تَدَبَّرَت

لَها أُفُقٌ وَالشَرقُ إِذ شَرَقَت غَربُ

لَها أُفُقٌ وَالشَرقُ إِذ شَرَقَت غَربُ

Suns—as though the earth, wherever you contemplate it,

Suns that when they rise on the land

Were their horizon, and East, when they rise, were West.

It is as if it has a horizon and the east when they rise is west

لِشبّانِهِم حلم الكهول وَشيبهم

لِشبّانِهِم حلم الكهول وَشيبهم

عَلى كُل جَد مُقبِل في العُلى رتبُ

عَلى كُل جَد مُقبِل في العُلى رتبُ

Their youths have the forbearance of elders, and their gray-haired men

Their youth have the patience of elders and their old have

Hold exalted ranks above every advancing fortune.

For every serious matter they undertake exalted ranks

وَتلقى المَعالي وَالسماحُ وَليدَهم

وَتلقى المَعالي وَالسماحُ وَليدَهم

فَيَسمو كَما يَسمو وَيَحبو كَما يَحبو

فَيَسمو كَما يَسمو وَيَحبو كَما يَحبو

Nobility and generosity meet their newborn,

And loftiness and benevolence are born in them

So it rises as he rises, and crawls as he crawls.

So they rise as they rise and love as they love

وواسِطة العقد اليَمانيِّ في النَدى

وواسِطة العقد اليَمانيِّ في النَدى

حميد بن مَحمود وَنائِله العَذبُ

حميد بن مَحمود وَنائِله العَذبُ

And the central jewel of the Yemeni necklace in generosity

And the intermediary of the Yemeni necklace in munificence

Is Hamid son of Mahmud and his sweet bounty.

Is Hamid son of Mahmoud, and its ripeness is plentiful

أَيا طيباً غَوث العُفاة دعاكَ مَن

أَيا طيباً غَوث العُفاة دعاكَ مَن

مَوارده رتقٌ وَأَيَّامُهُ إِلبُ

مَوارده رتقٌ وَأَيَّامُهُ إِلبُ

O gracious one, refuge of petitioners, you are called upon by one

O a refuge for the weak that called you, one whose

Whose watering places are sealed, and whose days are allied foes.

Resources are scarce and days lean

وَمِن كُل ما قَلَّ امرىء شكر نِعمة

وَمِن كُل ما قَلَّ امرىء شكر نِعمة

حَداه لِسان بِالثَنا فيكِم رَطبُ

حَداه لِسان بِالثَنا فيكِم رَطبُ

And by every man, however humble, thankful for a favor,

And from everything a man's gratitude for blessings has diminished

Urged on by a tongue moist with praise of you.

Its extent, the tongue with praise of you is moist

تَركتُ بِلادَ الشام رَهن مَكارِمٍ

تَركتُ بِلادَ الشام رَهن مَكارِمٍ

أَضاءَت لَها تِلكَ السَباسِبُ وَالهضبُ

أَضاءَت لَها تِلكَ السَباسِبُ وَالهضبُ

I left the lands of al-Sham pledged to noble favors,

I left the Levant pledged to glories

For which those open plains and highlands shone.

Which those meadows and hills have illuminated

فَلَو أَنَّها اسطاعَت أَتَتكَ وَأَهلِها

فَلَو أَنَّها اسطاعَت أَتَتكَ وَأَهلِها

فَقَد شفها شَوقاً إِلى ربعك الحُبُّ

فَقَد شفها شَوقاً إِلى ربعك الحُبُّ

If it could, it would come to you with its people,

So if only it could, it would come to you and its people

For love has wasted it with longing for your dwelling.

For yearning for your abode has cracked it from love

وَلَكِنَّها تَطوي مِن الشَوقِ مُهجَة

وَلَكِنَّها تَطوي مِن الشَوقِ مُهجَة

عَلى زَفَراتٍ ما زَوَت نارَها تَخبو

عَلى زَفَراتٍ ما زَوَت نارَها تَخبو

Yet, from longing, it folds its heart

But it bears from yearning a protected wound

Around sighs whose fire never dwindles or dies.

From sighs whose fires have not died out

فَيَقدِم بِالمثنى إِلَيكَ هَدِيَّةً

فَيَقدِم بِالمثنى إِلَيكَ هَدِيَّةً

كَما يَتَهادى الراتِعَ الماءُ وَالعُشبُ

كَما يَتَهادى الراتِعَ الماءُ وَالعُشبُ

Thus it brings the praiser to you as a gift,

So it sends you in pairs as a gift

As water and grass pass the grazing beast between them.

As water and vegetation exchange gifts